The Lead:
Gulfstream Park offers its key local prep toward next month's Pegasus World Cup when a field of 11 clashes in the Harlan's Holiday Stakes on Saturday. The 1-1/16 miles race, which inaugurated in 2011, boasts no less than 7 last-out winners in the lineup.

​Field Depth:
O'CONNOR and DUBYUHNELL are Grade 2 winners, while rivals like NY TRAFFIC and MILES D are Grade 1-placed. O'CONNOR has consistently kept the strongest company lines.

Pace:
This does not look like a terribly fast past and given the short run to the first turn and sixteenth pole finish line in play, early speed types should be most effective. NY TRAFFIC and OCTANE are most likely the early pace with DUBYUHNELL, GRAND ASPEN and GASOLINE in the first flight.

Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.

1-DUBYUHNELL: Promising 2-year-old of 2022 went awry this spring, but appeared to be getting back to his form at Keeneland in winning a tough allowance off the layoff. Jockey Luis Saez won this race 3 of the last 4 years, including 2020 aboard Tax for the same trainer, Danny Gargan. Should be in the mix throughout from an advantageous post.

2-NY TRAFFIC: Six-year-old is relatively lightly raced with 23 starts and surprisingly only 2 on the Gulfstream main track for locally based Saffie Joseph Jr. This barn ran first and fourth in last year's Harlan's Holiday and while Irad Ortiz Jr. jumps to ride another contender, the new pilot is 3-time Harlan's Holiday winner Javier Castellano. This will be his first two-turn bid since August of 2021, so I anticipate some early speed and he's a danger.

3-GRAND ASPEN: Churchill allowance winner last out responded to blinkers off and now makes his first stakes bid. Trainer Todd Pletcher has a record three victories in the Harlan's Holiday, most recently Fearless in 2021. Versatile running style best employed closer to the pace Saturday if Jose Ortiz can get him there.

4-BLUE DEVIL: Two-time Saratoga winner has knocked on the door in stakes company of late at Churchill with minor placings. Lack of early speed a concern in a race that likely won't come back to the pack with a modest pace.

5-SIGNATOR: Joins fellow 3-year-old Dubyuhnell in this field, and note that sophomores have won this race 5 times in its 12-year history. Tapit colt has won back-to-back Aqueduct allowance races and will make the stakes rise while in peak form for Hall of Fame connections, Shug McGaughey and John Velazquez. Lack of early foot the concern.

6-O'CONNOR (pictured above): Chilean-bred and Group 1 winner in his homeland, this 6-year-old got his signature American score last out in Keeneland's Grade 2 Fayette. He finished fourth in this race last year behind Saffie Joseph Jr. stablemate Skippylongstocking, so the barn seeks back-to-back and also has Ny Traffic entered. This one comes from far off the pace, so jockey Tyler Gaffalione may need pace help or a change of tactics.

7-OCTANE: Potential pacemaker stretches out around two turns and steps up in class. No match for O'CONNOR over this distance in October 2022, but a lot of time has passed since then. Six wins on the Gulfstream main are the most of any runner in this field.

8-MILES D: Former Chad Brown trainee and 2021 Travers third-place finisher returned from 7 months away in November to finish second in the Delta Downs Mile for new trainer Amador Sanchez. Second-off-the-layoff now and will return to Gulfstream trying to erase the result of last year's Hooper when a well-beaten seventh as favorite, the worst performance of his career.

9-GASOLINE: Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. winds up here on the Todd Pletcher trainee, most recently fifth in the Clark at Churchill Downs in his stakes debut. Had won 3 of 4 in allowance company prior and is working bullets at Palm Beach Downs for this. Pletcher has a record 3 wins in the Harlan's Holiday and Ortiz won it last year aboard Skippylongstocking.

10-STEAL SUNSHINE: Four-time local dirt winner scored a one-turn mile allowance here when last seen in October. Did show turn-turn game when third in the Grade 3 Iselin at Monmouth, a race that should play similar to this one. Hustling gate rider Paco Lopez may have to use some extra energy from this tough post draw.

11-LURE HIM IN: Strong 4-for-6 record on the Gulfstream main aside, the class rise and post assignment will be difficult hurdles for this longshot to overcome, even exiting a local victory.

Most Certain Exotics Contender:
No slam dunks in this area, but DUBYUHNELL is the one I trust most with the style, race shape and draw.

Best Longshot Exotics Contender:
The price on the stretch-out for NY TRAFFIC should be fair and he's a threat.
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Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$60 win DUBYUHNELL. $10 exacta box DUBYUHNELL and NY TRAFFIC ($20). $10 exacta part-wheel DUBYUHNELL and NY TRAFFIC over SIGNATOR ($20).